Psychological Evaluations
by Arynn Octavia
Summary: Madeleine Spencer is called in to do some psychological evaluations, but can she remain objective where her son is concerned? Shassie minific. Shawn Spencer/Carlton Lassiter. Pre-Slash.
1. Justified?

Title: Psychological Evaluations  
Spoilers: Season 3, Episode 1: Ghosts  
Summary: Madeleine Spencer is called in to do some psychological evaluations, but can she remain objective where her son is concerned? Shassie minific. Shawn Spencer/Carlton Lassiter. Pre-Slash.  
A/N: Finally just bought Psych season 3! Since I don't have a TV, I have to wait for everything to come out on DVD to watch it. Watched "Ghosts" and this just popped in to my mind. Finally, my first practical use of those criminology and psychology majors! I didn't major in crim and psych for fic fodder, I swear! At least, in didn't major in them ONLY for fic fodder.

Part 1: Justified?

So, I got called in to the SBPD for a number of psych evaluations, and I thought it was a good time to visit my son and ex husband. In the course of my visit I found out my son had become estranged from his father due, in part, to the way I left them all those years ago. I had hurt my boy, which was the last thing I wanted to do. You probably know all of this.

One of the psych evals I was to do was for a Detective Carlton Lassiter, who had a higher number of weapons discharges than was to be expected. I was brought in to make sure there were no underlying concerns. You probably know this too.

The notes I take during or after an eval are for my own benefit, really. I like to go over them in writing my recommendations. My recommendation is all that goes into the file of the person I evaluate, after that, my notes are shredded. Don't know why I kept his.

Actually, I do know why, although I could do nothing about it. Even if you do look over the doctor/patient privilege, which I would never do, I had just learned that my actions may not have the consequences that I expect of them, and I couldn't take it if my interference hurt anyone, especially if that "anyone" is my son. Did I make the right choice? I guess I'll let you decided.


	2. Official Evaluation and Notes

Psychological Evaluation

07/18/2008

Evaluator: Madeleine Spencer PhD

Patient: Carlton Lassiter

Reason for referral: Response to multiple Use of Force Reports over the past six months, involving weapons discharge. No fatalities.

DSM Diagnosis

Axis I: V71.09

Axis II: V71.09

Axis III: Healthy 39 y/o male.

Axis IV: Divorce

Axis V: 69

Recommendation: Okay to return to work.

* * *

CONFIDENTIAL: TO BE SHREDDED

* * *

From the Desk of:

Madeleine Spencer PhD

On first session patient was defensive and subversive. Reluctant to relinquish control. Answered all questions as if he were Eastwood's character from Heartbreak Ridge. Must find way to break through his defences if we are to get anywhere. I may have to inform him that I have the power to recommend anything from mandatory firearm safety courses to restricted use of side-arm and further evaluation.

Second session more productive. Whole demeanour changed when I asked about his gun. Spoke of his pride at becoming the youngest head detective ever at the SBPD. Began to open up. Is going through divorce. Spoke of missing wife. Asked about relationship. He was regretful, not particularly over their failed relationship, but that divorce is indication of his failure. Not dating, but open to it. Mentioned asking a few people, but no chemistry, he didn't feel "IT". Asked if he had chemistry with his wife. Said they got along well. I asked if he felt "IT" with his wife. He did not. I asked if he has ever had chemistry with someone, if he has ever felt "IT", he became slightly flustered (annoyed?) and clammed up again. Got him talking by asking what he liked to do to unwind (shooting range).

Grew up with overbearing mother, wanted him to become priest. Father, a crab fisherman, verbally abusive to mother. Absent through most of patient's life since third grade, when he divorced mother. Patient sought father's approval, thought a career in law enforcement might win him over.

Dream analysis shows patient's need for control stems from his feelings of inadequacy compared to father. Conflicted over father's bad example of what "being a man" means (abusive husband) yet still wanting to be like him. Patient has immersed himself in his life in attempt to avoid father conflict, and in attempt to find himself and who he is as a man.

Suggested to patient he might want to continue some sort of therapy.

A week later, patient knocked on my door and asked if he could see me. Appeared nervous. Wanted reassurance that our conversations would be kept private. I assured him of privacy policies, that I would only breach patient confidentiality if he was an immediate harm to self or others. He seemed relieved, but reluctant to go.

I asked if he would like to talk again, and he immediately fell back on the couch. Said there WAS someone with whom he felt chemistry, he felt like it could be "IT" but that there were complications. Asked what complications. Said they work together. I mentioned policy about work-place relationships, and he said he was aware of them. This person not a cop, but consultant. Told him he would be free to pursue relationship in that case. He said there were more complications. Reluctant to say any more, but finally admitted that it was a man. I asked if he had ever been attracted to a man before, he said he had, but nothing has ever come of it. He had always thought that he might be gay.

I asked if this other man was gay, patient said he didn't know. We spoke of how this is tricky, since cops tend to be generally more homophobic. Told him that any discrimination he suffered if his feelings were found out would be cause for legal action on his part. He didn't seem to think this would be too much of an issue. He was more worried about what this man would think of him, but there was one more thing.

Spoke of rivalry, and how this man and he often are at odds. This man mocks him, calls him "Lassie" and "Carly" and he puts down this other man's often useful contribution. I wanted to see whether his feelings were true attraction, or possibly a need to outperform any man in place of his father. Used guided visualization to explore this. Feeling of rivalry are present, but not main focus of his feelings toward the man. There is a respect that he hopes is mutual, and an intense physical and emotional attraction to this man. Patient became aroused at both thought of giving and receiving pleasure from this man, so goal is not domination, but an equitable relationship. Spoke of wife divorcing him because she thought he didn't want kids. He did want kids, just not with her. He thinks this man would be a good person to raise kids with. Ended session with suggestion that he try to find out how this man feels about him. Patient initiated a hug before departing, expressed gratitude.

* * *

CONFIDENTIAL: TO BE SHREDDED


	3. What would you have done?

So those were the note I should have, I had every intention of, destroying. I would have destroyed them immediately after turning in his eval, but his unexpected visit had me running late, and my son was coming to meet me for dinner. In fact, he arrived just as Carlton was leaving my office. The smile that had lit up the detective's face as we said our goodbyes and good lucks slid off in an instant as they collided in the doorway.

"Lassie-face." Shawn nodded cheerfully at him as they passed.

"Spencer." The detective's reply was much more curt.

I heard the exchange, but filed it way for later, since my head was focused on finishing up the eval so I could turn it in on my way out the door. I felt confident that Carlton could safely return to work as usual. I locked the notes from his sessions in my briefcase, and Shawn and I departed for the restaurant.

It was only as I lay in bed awaiting sleep that night that their interaction at the door of my office that day popped back into my head. Shawn had called him "Lassie-face." I wondered if the name his love interest had began calling him had stuck, and now everyone called him that. By the way he sounded when he talked to me about the man he was attracted to, that didn't seem the case. It sounded that this man was the only one who called him that, the only one who Carlton allowed to speak to him that way. I had no doubts that if anyone else would begin calling him Carly or Lassie, he would put a stop to it quite quickly. Then I easily put two and two together. Shawn was a consultant, and he worked quite often with Carlton from what I heard.

How did I feel about this? Of course, there were times when Shawn was a teenager that I suspected he might be attracted to men. He did have what I could only describe as a crush on Val Kilmer for the longest time, and Tom Cruise. But then he started dating women, then more women, then more women. I became concerned that he was seeing all of these women, but had never had a relationship that lasted more than a week. No one could hold his interest for long enough. I decided to dig a little deeper.

Over the remaining part of my trip, I asked my son about relationships whenever I could. Of course, I suppose I was being a bit obvious. About a week before I was to leave, in the course of my investigations, he finally asked, "Mom, are you shrinking me?"

I assured him that I just wanted him to be happy. I was just concerned that he had never been in love. "I just want you to find someone, Goose. Some man or woman for you to grow old with."

"Man? Really mom? Would you be okay with that?"

"Of course! So would your father."

"Yea-I don't think he would."

"We both just want you to be happy."

Of course, the next time I spoke with Henry, I mentioned it. He assured me he would be fine with it, and that in fact he thought Shawn might have a thing for one of the detectives down at the station. He said he had been a trained observer, and you would have to be blind not to see how Shawn felt about Detective Lassiter. "You should see some of the things he does during his "psychic" episodes, he's lucky he doesn't get a sexual harassment suit slapped on his ass."

He asked me why I was smiling after that, but I couldn't say anything.

So in my last week in Santa Barbara, I spent as much time in the station as I could, and I have to say, Henry was right. I could tell in the way Shawn looked at the detective, in the way he would try every trick he could to end up in the man's personal space. By all outward appearances, the detective was only annoyed by these displays, but I knew how he really felt, and by some of the glances he would shoot at me ever so inconspicuously as Shawn was dragged out of his lap, or off of his desk, he knew that I had figured it out. I could only nod and smile, trying to reassure him.

So there I was with his session notes in my brief case. I contemplated leaving them out for Shawn to find as I left, but I had assured the detective that he had my confidence, and even if I hadn't, I would never breach ethical guidelines like that. I also considered telling Carlton that Shawn would be receptive to what he had to say, but I had learned earlier in that very trip that my actions may have unforeseen consequences. I left my son once because I thought it was the right thing to do, and he had been hurting ever since. I could not live with myself if I somehow jeopardized his chances at finally finding love by forcing the issue too soon. I packed the notes into my briefcase, not able to share them with anyone, but not willing to shred them, and kept my mouth shut, hoping that if they were meant to be they would somehow find each other.

Did I do the right thing? I don't know. I guess time will tell.

The End

* * *

A/N: Thank you to Sarena-chan1 for the advice. I think you're right. It is a strange format, and I bet some will be put off by it. I tried putting the eval and notes all into one chapter, I hope that helps a bit. Thank you for the review as well!


End file.
